Discussions
by Analyn d'Ettore
Summary: Four discussions between Henry and Regina help improve their relationship, albeit in an unconventional way. Established relationship and consensual parent/child incest.


Disclaimed: Implied parent/child consensual incest. Don't like, don't read.

* * *

"Henry?" Regina bit her lip and looked at him out of the corner of her eye, a sure sign she was nervous.

Henry moved so he could face her fully. It was not unusual for her to be nervous before approaching a sensitive topic during the early days of their relationship, but he had not seen her this nervous since the first six months of their relationship.

"What is it?" he asked, already knowing from her body language he was not going to like the answer.

Regina inhaled deeply and let out her breath slowly before broaching the topic nagging at her mind. "I...there is something I want to discuss with you."

That much was obvious. Henry bit back a snarky comment that would only cause her to retreat into herself. "Go on," he encouraged.

"Not now. It's something that...well...I think we should set up a session with Archie to moderate."

Henry, previously at ease, tensed at Regina's words. They relied on couples therapy early on in their relationship, but had not needed any counseling for three years. "Okay—should I be worried."

Regina laid a reassuring hand on Henry's arm. "No. I love you, so much."

Henry smiled in reply. "I love you too." He tried not to think about the impending session.

* * *

Regina plucked at a loose threat on Archie's couch. Though she was the one who requested the counseling session, now that she and Henry were seated in Archie's office, she felt her nerves return in full. For a brief moment, she considered ignoring the topic she wanted to discuss, but Archie would, more likely than not, see through her cowardice and coax her into revealing the true purpose behind their visit. It was better to get the unpleasantness over with.

"So, Regina, what did you want to talk to me about?" Henry grabbed Regina's hand and pulled it away from the threat. Without her fingers to distract her, Regina looked towards Henry, his body turned towards his and his eyes looking intently at her face. For a brief moment, she almost forgot they had company.

"Henry"—Regina paused, and Henry grabbed her two hands in both of his—"I want you to know that regardless of what I'm about to say, I love you and would never want to hurt you."

Archie wrote something on his clipboard, but Regina was too nervous to be even vaguely curious about what he was writing.

"I know. I love you too." Henry gave Regina the encouragement she needed to continue speaking.

"Lately, I feel like we've lost a lot of our"—Regina searched for the proper word—"passion. I feel like our sex life is sometimes a chore now."

Henry tensed and yanked his hands away from her. He leaned away from her, trying to control the hurt laying beneath his simmering anger. "If sex is such a chore to you, why didn't you tell me? I would have stopped." The last part was laced with bitterness.

"Henry, why don't you tell Regina how you feel," Archie interjected before the discussion could dissent into argument.

Henry glared at the counselor before turning back to face Regina. "Right now, I feel ambushed. You should have told me earlier instead of springing this on me now." Henry was using 'you' instead of 'I', even knowing it would be more likely to put Regina on the defensive he did not care. Archie, too, noticed Henry's shift.

"Regina, why don't you respond to Henry," he effectively silenced the angry man.

"I'm sorry if you feel ambushed. That was not my intention. I was too afraid to talk to you about this, and I'm sorry about that too. Henry, there is something important I want to ask you, and I would appreciate it if you would hear me out without interrupting." Regina fell easily into 'counseling session mode' as she called it, consciously altering her speech patterns to be more open and informative.

"Henry, do you agree?"

"Yes," Henry agreed, though he was not happy about it. Mentally, he tried to tell himself that whatever 'it' was, they could work through it. He loved her too much not to try.

"We've lost the passion we used to have."

Archie nodded his head understandingly and interjected, "It is quite common for couples who've been intimate for a while to feel a decrease in passion."

"Exactly," Regina agreed. She tried to discern Henry's expression, but his face was cast down towards his lap as he avoided looking at her. Breathing to calm herself, she continued, "Henry, I want to change the parameters of our relationship to allow us to see other people."

"What the fuck?" Henry burst out, unable to stop himself despite his promise. He jumped up from the couch, glaring at her before saying, "Like, what the actual fuck?"

"Henry," Archie interrupted the rant starting to brew, "Please take a seat. Regina, what type of changes are you proposing."

"That we both be allowed to have sex"—Regina avoided using a more colloquial and less stuffy term for fear of angering Henry even more—"with other people. Not other relationships, and we would not bring anyone to our bed. I wouldn't want to do that to Henry."

"But you want to fuck other men!" Henry exclaimed incredulously.

"You could too, of course," Regina tried to console him, but failed completely.

Archie paused to scribble a few things onto his clipboard before his complete attention returned to the unlikely couple. Their beginning was rocky, but he helped them navigate the start of their relationship. He would help them now. They deserved to be happy. "Regina, could you explain why you want an open relationship."

"I just...relationships can be stifling, not that I think Henry holds me back or anything, but I think this kind of agreement would both give us freedom to be with other people, even if we choose not to."

"Henry, what do you think about this?"

Henry shifted uncomfortably on the couch. His surprise and anger faded to be left with jealousy. Sadness. His love wanted to sleep with other people. If she truly thought he was stifling her, then...well, he would agree to just about anything to make her happy. He just wanted to see her happy. But to knowingly send her into the arms of other men? He couldn't handle the thought of some faceless stranger between her thighs. His blood ran red. He needed time to think. Without answering the counselor's question, he abruptly left the room.

* * *

Henry consulted Regina's schedule before scheduling another appointment with Archie. "I'm not saying yes," he warned Regina when she became a tad too excited that he wanted them to go see Archie again.

"But you're not saying no either." Regina left out the unspoken _if you were decided against this, we would not even be going to see Archie again_.

The second session was no less tense than the first. "I've had some time to think," Henry began the discussion, "and you're right. We have been lacking passion. I'm not sure what you're proposing is the best solution, but with a few conditions, I'm willing to consider it."

Archie smiled proudly at Henry, and he noticed Regina relaxed slightly. He was even-tempered—in direct contrast to the previous session. Secretly, he hoped Henry would respond positively. Else wise, he feared the rift that might develop between the couple. "What conditions would you like to include, Henry?"

Henry directed his answer to Regina. "There are a few. As you said, no relationships with other people, just sex. And not in our home. Also, no more than once with any one person, and we must tell each other about any other partners by the next day at the very latest."

"That is quite reasonable, Henry. What do you say, Regina?"

"Yes. That would be acceptable."

Henry frowned, not quite done. "There are a few more stipulations. This does not occur more than once a month, condoms are a must regardless of other forms of contraception, and if at any point either one of us becomes upset or uncomfortable, this agreement is off."

Regina nodded her head. "I agree. There is one other promise I want to make." Henry nodded for her to continue. Archie watched with interest as their nerves drained and they simultaneously shifted closer together so their thighs and knees were touching, hands clasped between them. Yes, he suspected they were going to be just fine.

"I won't do anal with anyone else. That is only for you."

"Agreed."

"So you're saying yes?" Regina just needed to confirm.

"Yes. I am saying yes."

Regina and Henry were slightly oblivious to Archie as they left the room, hand in hand. They were not smiling, exactly, but they radiated contentment.

* * *

"God you're amazing," Henry panted as he struggled to catch his breath. He pulled Regina's body towards him, spooning her against his side and nuzzling his nose into her hair. He loved her scent—cucumber melon.

"Mmmmm," Regina agreed as he eyes closed.

"How did you know this would work?" he asked her, genuinely curious.

"How what would work?"

"Seeing other people." Henry winced, but he'd become accustomed to controlling the jealously, and its not like Regina would be cheating on him as long as she followed the terms they agreed to.

"I didn't know it would work. I just thought if we had more freedom to see others, we would be better."

"I'm not arguing with you there." Six months. Six months since the fateful visit with Archie. Turning serious, Henry said, "And there really hasn't been anyone else for you in all this time."

Regina opened her eyes and faced Henry so he could see the truth in her eyes. "No one else. I would have told you."

"I know."

"I considered it, once. I was about to kiss the man, even, but then I saw your face in my head and I didn't want to."

There were a million questions on Henry's mind demanding to be asked. Who was he? Did she find him more attractive? More manly? Was it because the man was better endowed? Henry settled for just one question. "Why did you stop? You could have...I agreed...I would have understood."

Regina hesitated before answering his question. "I had the freedom to be with him, but I only wanted you. Anyone other that you would be unfulfilling." Regina paused before asking, "And you never...either?"

"Aside from the one time I kissed Ruby"—Henry felt even mentioning another woman's name was not proper post-coital talk, but neither would people consider their open relationship proper—"I felt so guilty about it—not that you would have held it against me—but she did not feel right. You're it for me."


End file.
